Daybreak Summoner Chapter 22 (Patreon)

Night at the Ranch

Rei was perplexed.

Watching the girl Rhea befriend Rinna created a blur in her mind that she had never felt before.

"Yes, Rinna-chan, ah!"

What on earth is this?

Is it a feeling of alienation that her friends are getting along with other friends instead of her?

Let's try to picture Shifle playing with a girl she doesn't know.

Shifle is an invaluable friend to you.

However, even though I feel a smile at the scene I picture, I do not feel any black emotion.

In the first place, I wonder if my feelings for Rinna can be described as friendship.

"Yes, yes, ah!"

The word "friend" just doesn't seem to fit.

Then what exactly would fit?

Best friend?

Partner?

Summoner and summoner?

"How do Rhea's special chicken dumplings taste?"

I don't think any of those would fit.

So what is the name of this feeling?

"They are delicious. You've improved a lot in your cooking skills."

And what is this joke of a scene unfolding before my eyes?

Rei takes great care not to break the spoon in her hand.

This is the residential building of Nadis Ranch.

The crescent bears appear when the sun sets and night falls.

The current time is dusk.

Therefore, I am being treated to dinner.

"Right, right, now I can be Rinna-chan's wife whenever I want."

"So that's why we're talking about..."

This has been going on ever since we started eating.

Rhea has been sticking close to Rinna's side and taking good care of her.

Rei sits in front of Rinna and continues to be exposed to this scene.

"Rinna-chan, this is next. Ahhhh..."

"Enough, I'll eat it myself...Rei say something to her too...Rei?"

Rinna looks at Rei and is taken aback.

She was staring at her with a smile on her face, as if she had a Noh mask stuck on her face.

Rei is always very expressive, but I've never seen a face like this before.

"Rin-chan, let's hurry up and finish eating so we can plan our strategy."

"Yeah, right, yeah."

She replies in a voice with no inflection at all.

Rinna hurriedly tried to finish her meal.

"You don't have to be embarrassed anymore. Come on, come on, ahhh."

"Rin-chan, hurry up, let's eat."

So this is what it means to be a needle in a haystack.

Give me a break, Rinna screamed in her mind.

"...Err, then, let's check first."

Even though it was after dinner, Rinna was exhausted.

The hellish meal was over, and the time was just around eight o'clock at night.

The strategy meeting to defeat Crescent Bear has begun.

"The time they appear is around 10 to 11 p.m. Rhea, are you sure?"

"Yes, they always appear around that time."

The appearance is immediately apparent as the livestock begin to make noise.

The sound of the livestock's screams that echoed in her ears afterwards was also a constant reminder of their presence.

"When they appear, the first thing we do is check the enemy. If it's not a crescent bear, we'll have to rethink our strategy. If it's the right one, Rei, please."

"Yeah, I'll kill it quickly."

It sounded a bit noisy, but it was probably just my imagination.

Rinna then explained the specific strategy.

"Crescent Bear is quite powerful and fast, and I think Rei can handle it, but just to be safe, we shouldn't hit it head-on."

"Then what are you going to do? What then?

Probably not.

Rinna shakes her head and replies.

"She only attacks live prey. She won't fall for a meat trap. Pitfalls and tiger scissors will only trap livestock, and that won't work either."

"So you're saying we can't use traps?"

"Therefore, the strategy is a surprise. First, I'll give Rei a muscle-enhancing power boost, and she'll kill any sign of him, approach quickly, and finish him off with a single blow."

Taking a breath, Rinna stares at Rei's face.

The success of this mission depends on Rei.

Besides, she herself is in danger if she can't focus on the enemy.

"I think I'll go with this plan. Can you do it, Rei?"

"Don't worry. Leave it to me."

Rei's reply was confident, but not overconfident.

With this, she would not be delayed by a B-class summoner.

"Hey, you say she's a summoner, but is she really okay with fighting bears?"

Rhea overhears Rinna so that Rei can't hear.

Rinna answers clearly without hesitation.

"Of course, Rei is strong. She has always been there for me."

Rinna's eyes look at Rei.

Rhea can see the absolute trust she has in her.

"Hmm, I see..."

Rhea was also a little curious about Rei, to see Rinna give her such a look.

After ten o'clock, the livestock suddenly became noisy.

It seems that the summoned beast in question has appeared.

"It looks like it's here. Let's go, Rei."

"Yes!"

Rei stands up, patting the sword at her waist as if to make sure it's still there.

Rinna also has a cracked jewel in her staff and is ready to go.

"Rhea, wait here."

"I'll go with you. I'll go with her, she's the one who ate up all the lovely livestock. I'll have to see to it that he's killed him."

"Okay, but I don't want to put you in danger."

Opening the door of the residential building quietly, Rei first takes a look around.

After confirming that there are no summoned beasts in the area, she signals with her hand to the two men behind him.

The three of them carefully stepped forward, killing the sound, and looked inside the fence where the livestock were grazing.

"...There it is."

Rinna confirms the figure.

Illuminated by the moonlight, a huge black body stomped on the earth with two thick feet.

Standing upright and reaching six meters, the beast is a huge, muscular bear.

Its entire body is covered in black fur, with a white crescent pattern on its chest.

Drooling from its mouth, it roars ferociously.

"It's definitely a crescent bear."

"She's the one who killed the livestock...I can't let her get away with it!"

Rinna's guess was right.

Rhea mutters bitterly.

All that remained was to follow the plan.

Rinna focuses her consciousness and sends a stream of power into Rei.

"Muscle strengthening power boost!"

A red light enveloped Rei's body.

"Hmm..., great. I can feel the power flowing from my whole body."

Rei clenched her fists tightly and stared into Rinna's eyes.

When Rinna nodded, Rei ran out of the place.

She jumps over the fence, killing as much sound as possible.

Keeping her stance low, she heads toward the hungry bear searching for prey.

A ray of red light streaks through the darkness of the night.

Crescent Bear senses her enemy's approach.

Then there is no need to save speed.

Faster than the enemy can take up an intercepting posture, she goes full speed.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

The bear, caught surprised, swung its arm in agony.

But such a large swing, no matter how powerful, can easily read the trajectory.

Now I understand what Hilde was saying.

Just by lowering her stance a little, the blow skipped through the air above her head.

And that means Rei jumped into Crescent Bear's bosom.

"Take that!"

Clenching her right palm, a fist with all the acceleration and full weight she had been carrying up to that point drove into the bear's belly.

Bones shatter and internal organs rupture as the crescent bear.

Rei grabs the arm of the huge body that is about to cower in a crouching position, vomiting blood, with both hands.

Rei recoils and throws him over with a single backward swing.

Rei quickly draws her sword in front of the enemy, who is struck from behind and falls on her back.

She thrusts the tip of her sword into the defenseless neck.

"Ggahhhh..."

The huge black body stopped its movement.

After drawing her sword, Rei held it for a moment, but Crescent Bear did not even twitch.

When she was sure it was completely dead, she finally released her tension.

"Hey, I got it!!!"

Rei waved her arms widely, signaling to the two of them.

Rinna huffed and exhaled, releasing the muscle-enhancing power boost.

"Rhea, this completes the request. ...Rhea?"

Rhea's appearance was strange.

She was staring at Rei and not moving.

"Rhea? Too much stimulation?"

Was this battle too much of a shock for her?

As Rinna was thinking that.

"Sister Rei... you look nice."

"What?"

Rhea muttered in a fascinated tone.

☆☆☆☆

"Sister Rei, aren't you tired? Let me give you a back massage."

"Well, ahaha..."

"Bath together? No! That's a definite no-no!"

How did this happen?

Rei is now being pulled from both sides by Rinna and Rhea.

"Oh, Rinna-chan lives with your sister Rei, right? If that's the case, we're always in here together. Let me take over here..."

"I've never been in here with you...but anyway, that's a definite no-no!"

Rinna and Rhea, sparks flying between themselves.

Rei realizes what Rinna has been through.